There is a heretofore known image taking apparatus applicable to a digital camera, an optical sensor, and so forth, which is constructed by mounting, for example, an image pickup device of CCD type or CMOS type on a base substrate. As such an image taking apparatus, there is known a construction comprising: a base substrate having an opening formed centrally thereof and a recess formed at the lower surface thereof, the opening being located inwardly of the recess as seen in a transparent plan view; and an image pickup device flip-chip mounted on the bottom surface of the recess of the base substrate (refer to Patent Literature 1, for example). In the base substrate, a connection electrode is disposed around a through hole formed at the lower surface thereof, and an external terminal is disposed at the outer periphery thereof. Such an image taking apparatus is designed to convert light (image) inputted to a light-receiving section of the image pickup device through the through hole into an electric signal by means of the image pickup device, and transmit the electric signal to the connection electrode of the base substrate.